Guest Blog by Shawn, Shawn, Competitive Bearder, Podcaster, and Reviewer
Facial hair. It means something different for everyone. Some see it as a form of self-expression. Some grow it to identify with others. Some use it to hide scars, blemishes or signs of aging. For some, it’s a societal norm. For others, it’s simply a lack of motivation to shave. No matter what your perspective is, I hope these posts will speak to you in some way, shape, or form.
I’ve had facial hair from the time I could grow it. For me, that was sophomore year in high school. At that time, I could only grow sideburns (or chops as many in the bearding community refer to them) and a very small goatee. At that time, I grew the facial hair as a way of identifying with musicians and artists that also had facial hair. Something I didn’t imagine happened. I really enjoyed the growing process. I also enjoyed experimenting with different looks with my facial hair. At that time, it only meant various shapes and lengths of my sideburns, but it was fun. As time progressed, so did the areas of my face that could grow facial hair. Since that time, I have learned many things, both good and bad, regarding these facial follicles and the world of bearding. Now, I am a competitive bearder. I get to meet new and interesting people, help raise money for charity, travel, and have an overall glorious time. I greatly enjoy discussing and bonding with others over the art and joy of growing facial hair. My goal is to help others in their own journey to achieve their bearding goals, and hopefully, prevent some of the mistakes I have made along the way. I have made many mistakes in my facial hair growing life. I have shaved with no shaving oil, I have let a beard become dry, snag and break, and I have done damage to my skin and beard by not having the information needed to properly care for my skin and the hair that grows from it. For different people this will mean different things, but there are some things that will assist you in proper maintenance.
First, let’s discuss shave oil. Now, you are probably wondering why I would talk about shave oil if I am growing out my beard. Many people with beards like to shape it lower on their cheek. Some people like to shave their neck of any hair growing lower than half an inch above their adam’s apple. If you are someone growing a goatee, chops, or other partial beard, then you will be shaving a considerable amount of hair from your face. Whether you use a straight razor or an electric razor, you want to make sure you are properly moisturizing your face before shaving. If you neglect to do so, you take the risk of damaging your skin. One thing many people don’t realize is that healthy skin produces healthy facial hair. Many people shave immediately after getting out of the shower. Soap can strip your skin of its’ natural sebum. Sebum is the oil that your skin naturally produces to stay moisturized. Using a shave oil will help moisturize your skin to prevent damage and keep your skin healthy. Many people are unaware, but it only takes 26 seconds for skin care products to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Personally, I want natural ingredients being absorbed into my skin versus chemicals. If you are someone who incorporates shaving as a way to create your personal facial hair style, I would like to suggest Alonzo’s Sensational Shave Oil. It uses all-natural ingredients with no parabens, preservatives or coloring added. You would think this would be a no-brainer, but many companies out there are adding ingredients to their products that are actually doing more damage to your skin. Another thing I personally like about Alonzo’s Sensational Shave is that the oils they use are cold-pressed. If a company uses oils that have been heated up during their pressing, they can lose the nutritional properties that you want absorbed into your skin to keep it healthy. Taking steps like this can greatly increase the health of your skin and the quality of your facial hair. Until next time.
I’ve had facial hair from the time I could grow it. For me, that was sophomore year in high school. At that time, I could only grow sideburns (or chops as many in the bearding community refer to them) and a very small goatee. At that time, I grew the facial hair as a way of identifying with musicians and artists that also had facial hair. Something I didn’t imagine happened. I really enjoyed the growing process. I also enjoyed experimenting with different looks with my facial hair. At that time, it only meant various shapes and lengths of my sideburns, but it was fun. As time progressed, so did the areas of my face that could grow facial hair. Since that time, I have learned many things, both good and bad, regarding these facial follicles and the world of bearding. Now, I am a competitive bearder. I get to meet new and interesting people, help raise money for charity, travel, and have an overall glorious time. I greatly enjoy discussing and bonding with others over the art and joy of growing facial hair. My goal is to help others in their own journey to achieve their bearding goals, and hopefully, prevent some of the mistakes I have made along the way. I have made many mistakes in my facial hair growing life. I have shaved with no shaving oil, I have let a beard become dry, snag and break, and I have done damage to my skin and beard by not having the information needed to properly care for my skin and the hair that grows from it. For different people this will mean different things, but there are some things that will assist you in proper maintenance.
First, let’s discuss shave oil. Now, you are probably wondering why I would talk about shave oil if I am growing out my beard. Many people with beards like to shape it lower on their cheek. Some people like to shave their neck of any hair growing lower than half an inch above their adam’s apple. If you are someone growing a goatee, chops, or other partial beard, then you will be shaving a considerable amount of hair from your face. Whether you use a straight razor or an electric razor, you want to make sure you are properly moisturizing your face before shaving. If you neglect to do so, you take the risk of damaging your skin. One thing many people don’t realize is that healthy skin produces healthy facial hair. Many people shave immediately after getting out of the shower. Soap can strip your skin of its’ natural sebum. Sebum is the oil that your skin naturally produces to stay moisturized. Using a shave oil will help moisturize your skin to prevent damage and keep your skin healthy. Many people are unaware, but it only takes 26 seconds for skin care products to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Personally, I want natural ingredients being absorbed into my skin versus chemicals. If you are someone who incorporates shaving as a way to create your personal facial hair style, I would like to suggest Alonzo’s Sensational Shave Oil. It uses all-natural ingredients with no parabens, preservatives or coloring added. You would think this would be a no-brainer, but many companies out there are adding ingredients to their products that are actually doing more damage to your skin. Another thing I personally like about Alonzo’s Sensational Shave is that the oils they use are cold-pressed. If a company uses oils that have been heated up during their pressing, they can lose the nutritional properties that you want absorbed into your skin to keep it healthy. Taking steps like this can greatly increase the health of your skin and the quality of your facial hair. Until next time.